The end of fire

Mithra enjoyed her new form.

The Ashes Flame Father, a gift from Salutisas, the "Flame Father," had two states: extinguished and burning.

In the extinguished state, she was essentially deactivated, no different from normal, except for slightly enhanced understanding of fire miracles and increased sensitivity to temperature changes.

Importantly, even in the extinguished state, Mithra still needed to burn life or sense; otherwise, the internal heat would consume her.

The burning state, however, revealed the full power.

Her physical strength increased, comparable to the Beast transformation, though still inferior to The Stranger. More importantly, she no longer used fire miracles; she could directly manipulate the power of flames.

However, she herself was burning, potentially attracting almost all flames in the world, but not necessarily escaping the flames' consumption.

That was the nature of the Flame Father.

Salutisas wasn't powerful because he was a Flame Father; he attracted flames because of his inherent power.

After receiving this gift, Mithra understood this.

Though this elder seemed aloof, having been killed by Lebaance and outmaneuvered by humanity, leaving him with unresolved issues.

But it didn't matter; he was still the good person who had given Mithra a powerful gift.

The burning body, combined with her regenerative abilities, plunged Mithra into agonizing torment.

Stabilize ensured Mithra's consciousness wouldn't collapse from pain, but it also meant she wouldn't experience the numbness that comes with extreme agony; she had to endure it constantly.

For Mithra, this wasn't important. What mattered was that this was another powerful form, no longer primarily focused on mental fortitude like the frantic self-imposed limitations of her previous forms.

The priority of burning was still more physical.

Infeder frowned, observing the changes in Mithra, utterly perplexed: "You… what…"

Mithra inhaled the scorching air, her staff pointing towards the ground.

Thump!

Infeder reacted quickly, thrusting a palm sideways to meet the hammer blow.

A violent shockwave spread from their collision.

In a brief standoff, their eyes met at close range, then they simultaneously exerted force, pushing each other back.

Infeder's flames burned erratically; the ground beneath him began to liquefy.

His unique flames were taking effect, but for the Ashes Flame Father, Mithra, flames were just flames. She didn't recognize any special properties; they were simply normal fire.

After all, how could these flames burn anything significant from a handful of ashes?

Infeder gestured; the remaining disciples mobilized, shifting their target to Mithra.

A wave of fire miracles engulfed Mithra, who countered with Abyssal Darkness.

Having dealt with that, she heard approaching footsteps.

Infeder, along with several disciples, approached. His were his most trusted followers, all wielding the unique Ravenous Flame.

This flame allowed them to consume external objects, ravenously absorbing external power to enhance themselves.

Faced with the fierce attack, Mithra was repeatedly forced back, looking utterly battered.

Infeder's flowing lava swept up sand and stones, forming a massive lava ball that slammed into Mithra, who was fending off the other disciples' attacks, sending her flying.

Mithra adjusted her posture in mid-air, landing on the ground, staggering before regaining her footing.

Before she could recover, another wave of long-range fire miracles struck. The Fire Worship Sect members gave her no respite, determined to burn her completely!

A deafening roar.

The ferocious assault created many small craters in the large pit.

Crumble…

Suddenly, the area where Mithra had been struck began to liquefy.

"As expected…" Infeder's eyes widened slowly.

He had anticipated this change upon witnessing Mithra's transformation, but seeing it firsthand was difficult for Infeder to accept.

The legendary being, the gift of Skyfire, the Flame Father!

Even as a mere handful of ashes, it stood before them!

The flames burning on Mithra clearly showed the crimson Ravenous Flame, even though the intense attacks had battered her; she remained standing.

She was absorbing their power, drawing all the flames in the area.

The Staff had been retracted; only the hammer remained, now a conduit for vast amounts of flame.

The highly potent flames weren't particularly kind to a novice conduit, so Mithra was taking it easy, for now. It didn't matter who the conduit was for the next attack.

Taking the shape of a flame, she directly channeled the massive flame power released by the Fire Worship Sect's previous assault.

Mithra suddenly swung the hammer towards the ground.

Bang!

From the point of impact, several pillars of flame erupted, violently surging forward, scorching trails across the ground.

As they prepared to charge again, unleashing more fire miracles, Mithra's slender form was instantly replaced by a terrifying pillar of flame.

Infeder reacted swiftly, his Fire Protection spreading, creating a wall of fire before his disciples, blocking the attack.

After the intense clash, Infeder stumbled back, hair disheveled, flames flickering on his chest, revealing his exhaustion.

The surrounding disciples were stunned.

If Infeder hadn't intervened, all those closest to her would have died.

"Good. Continue," Mithra said calmly, then swung the hammer again.

There were truly a vast number of flames surrounding them.

While the flames dispersed, Mithra, as the Ashes Flame Father, didn't have the same drawing power as the original; she couldn't directly absorb the flames from the disciples' heads. However, the scattered flames remaining after the disciples' miracles were a different matter.

Infeder's Fire Protection wall was remarkably strong. The scale of his self-protection, combined with the fixed flame glyph on his chest, clearly indicated he was a Clarity-level strongman.

But flames were flames; even as a handful of ashes, Mithra's current abilities transcended the realm of miracles.

Even the flames from the Fire Protection wall were drawn to Mithra's hammer; the flames from the previous blow were largely absorbed by her.

A second hammer blow!

Bang!

With even more frightening speed, even larger pillars of flame engulfed the Fire Worship Sect members.

Having been suppressed by firepower for so long, Mithra showed them truly terrifying "firepower."

"Give me your flames!" Infeder's eyes widened, shouting, jolting his dazed disciples into action.

The disciples, without hesitation, channeled their flame power to their priest.

Then, a massive flame erupted from Infeder's body.

Burn it all!

Even if one person blocked this hammer blow, they'd still face the third, the fourth… they would all perish! So, they had to give everything to counter her!

The widespread incineration and the flame pillars clashed violently; the intense heat reached a critical point, triggering a terrifying explosive reaction.

Those unlucky enough to lack Fire Protection were caught in the blast, reduced to ash.

Black smoke billowed into the sky; the intense heat was unrelenting.

Infeder's clothes were incinerated; he could no longer control the all-consuming miracle, his focus entirely on the offensive.

Ahead, Mithra leaped lightly, her body briefly suspended in mid-air.

Scattered flames, including those from Infeder's incineration, converged on the hammer, which now blazed like a miniature sun.

Infeder pressed forward relentlessly; Mithra's form descended rapidly, her hammer striking Infeder directly.

BOOM!

The mountain exploded!

This wasn't scattered pillars of flame; the entire peak was obliterated; aside from the towering Skyfire, nothing survived.

Looking down from above, the flames would have carved a colossal image of fire onto the mountainside.

All the Fire Worship Sect disciples were consumed by Mithra's flames, becoming fuel for the embers of the Ashes Flame Father.

Amidst the chaos, Infeder lay prostrate, crawling. Half his body was incinerated, his face unrecognizable.

He crawled a short distance; footsteps approached from behind.

Mithra, the flames on her seemingly more intense, circled him, slowly stopping before him.

Infeder looked up at Mithra: "Truly… beautiful flames… ultimate flames… total incineration… everything… You… did well!"

"Who knows? Salutisas… do you know that name? Even the true Flame Father didn't understand what the ultimate flame truly was," Mithra shrugged.

Infeder was astonished: "That one… didn't understand either? …Impossible… impossible. If it weren't to incinerate, why would that flame exist? He should understand better than anyone… but… from what you say, it doesn't seem false… Truly… ridiculous…"

Mithra, without further explanation, raised her hammer and struck him on the head.

Infeder's frail body was instantly reduced to charcoal, leaving behind a single spark of essence.

Mithra picked it up, didn't look at it closely, and turned.

Behind her, Liyu entered the massive flames, once again merging with the Flamescape in the sky.

The Flamescape, which had already consumed parts of Ember City's towering structures, began to violently fluctuate again with the addition of this massive fire.

However, this fluctuation didn't accelerate the descent of the illusion; instead, the illusion began to become transparent!

"Congratulations."

Seeing this, Mithra softly said, then turned towards the source of the flames.

There, the girl awaited her.

...

"Damn it, what's the rush to reincarnate?! Did you go deaf when I told you to slow down? I'll break your legs if you don't listen! Can't you see the child in front of you?! Did you rip your household registration form in half?!" Nie Hong was berating a Planet Blue citizen.

With the Flamescape about to descend, the situation in Ember City was utter chaos. Planet Blue citizens were rushing towards teleportation points, and the massive crowds had already caused several trampling incidents.

Nie Hong and Leo Duncan decided it was better to run than to stay; they tried to maintain order, but they saw a Planet Blue citizen knock over a child while fleeing, nearly stepping on it.

Initially, Nie Hong held the child while Leo Duncan scolded the citizen. However, under the pressure, the citizen merely felt they were making a mountain out of a molehill.

Seeing Leo Duncan failing to get through to him, Nie Hong handed the child to Leo Duncan, pulled him away, and then unleashed a torrent of verbal abuse.

His scarred face added to his ferocious demeanor, intimidating the citizen.

Leo Duncan shielded the child's eyes, blocking their ears. The child didn't understand Planet Blue, but Leo Duncan fell silent.

Was he too polite? Or was Nie Hong simply better at pure personal attacks?

At that moment, a change in the Flamescape in the sky drew everyone's attention.

Nie Hong and Leo Duncan quickly looked up, noticing the Flamescape becoming transparent and ethereal; the intense heat from earlier began to decrease.

"What the…" Nie Hong exclaimed, the man he'd scolded quickly escaping in relief and embarrassment.

Leo Duncan quickly looked at the pillar of flame causing the upheaval.

"That fire must have done something… It's a miracle; we seem to be safe," Leo Duncan said.

The Flamescape completely dissipated from the sky, leaving only a few red embers dancing in the air.

Mithra caught a few, storing them in her ashes. Though these embers were useless, she kept them as a souvenir of the talkative crimson serpent.

With the Flamescape gone, the pillar of fire quickly retracted, forming a burning sphere.

Then, the sphere bloomed, unfolding like a bird emerging from a cocoon.

From the sea of fire, a red-haired figure emerged gracefully.

Clad in fiery red robes, her beautiful long hair cascaded down; her pupils resembled a setting sun. She wore a deer skull, like a mask, on her face.

["True Spiritfire Master," Liyu: The ultimate True Spiritfire conduit, giving birth to a fire spirit, a fire being. She was weak enough to be unable to struggle within the cycle, yet strong enough to cry out in each cycle. The contradictions of humanity are what True Spiritfire desires. She burned her own humanity to save a city and its people; the remaining part stood as a new Wandering God.]

[——This time, I won't cry, I won't have nightmares… Now, I ask for your guidance.]

Mithra slowly approached her, asking, "Do you remember your name?"

Liyu didn't respond; she gently raised her hand.

Instantly, the surrounding flames soared, and amidst the dancing flames and twisting air, the scene rapidly changed.

Looking through it as if it were a window, flames directly struck Mithra's body.

However, her will wasn't burned.

The ashes didn't recognize the unique properties of the flames; instead, they absorbed the flames during the burning process.

The surrounding scenery had originally transformed into a burning Planet Blue, but with a wave of Mithra's hand, it changed into a beautiful, ethereal landscape.

"Alright, as agreed, I'll kill you."

Then, Mithra rapidly lunged forward.

True Spiritfire erupted, transforming endlessly. However, no matter how strangely it changed, it was no match for the Ashes Mithra, who had already accumulated considerable power.

After the battle with the Fire Worship Sect disciples, their flames had all become fuel for Mithra, intensely burning, awaiting the opportunity to erupt once more.

And Mithra wouldn't make them wait long.

The Ravenous Flame engulfed her; the crimson-brown flames clashed with the crimson flames.

Liyu created numerous unusual Fire Spirits. These Fire Spirits lacked a definite form, a mixture of different biological structures, baring their fangs and claws, attempting to stop Mithra's advance.

Mithra's hammer struck fiercely; each blow shattered numerous Fire Spirits. As she turned, those scattered spirits became part of the flames on her hammer, fueling the next attack.

Liyu lightly moved her hands, constructing several humanoid Fire Spirits using True Spiritfire.

The next moment, the humanoid Fire Spirits were annihilated.

And from their "corpses," several "Nirvana Blooms" bloomed.

Mithra was slightly surprised; then, a Nirvana Bloom was flung directly into her face.

A powerful force engulfed the surroundings; Mithra staggered out of the blast radius.

"Nirvana Bloom can be used like that? Blurring the line between reality and illusion, using illusory life to reverse into real destructive power, using hypothetical conditions as if they were real…"

Liyu flicked her fingers; countless Nirvana Blooms bloomed around her in an instant.

Her long hair flew wildly, her expression emotionless; lethal beauty scattered amongst the flowers of destruction.

Mithra drew the Unsheathed Staff with her empty hand, pointing it towards the top of her head.

Abyssal Darkness!

Swish swish!

Black smoke and white lightning surged, but before they could fully disperse, Mithra forcibly compressed them into spheres.

The Abyss had feelings; they resented Mithra's restraint.

"Consume my sense and stop chattering," Mithra said bluntly, then placed the Abyssal Darkness before her.

Liyu threw the surrounding Nirvana Blooms aside; Mithra raised her flame-wreathed hammer and struck the compressed Abyssal Darkness spheres.

Directly into it!

Boom!

The two destructive forces didn't explode immediately but intertwined, flying towards each other.

It wasn't over. The Abhorrence Staff transformed into a long whip, flinging several Abyssal Darkness spheres before Mithra; her hammer repeatedly struck them.

Both sides unleashed maximum firepower.

The illusion warped repeatedly under their intense clash, eventually beginning to crumble.

Each Abyssal Darkness sphere wreaked havoc before disappearing, combined with the raging flames, gradually overwhelming Liyu.

Finally, several spheres pierced her flames, striking her.

Briefly suppressing the flames, Mithra swiftly extracted the essence Infeder had left behind and fed it to the Mouth, then channeled that extra Ki.

A massive Abyssal Darkness formed before her; Mithra's speed created countless afterimages.

Liyu was completely overwhelmed, instantly consumed by the firepower.

"Cough cough…" Liyu coughed, clear injuries appearing under the combined assault.

Thump!

The staff struck the ground; the dust cleared, revealing Mithra beside her.

Seeing her clear injuries, Mithra confirmed her thoughts.

Her body was still relatively weak; she had expended a large amount of power upon creation to reverse the Flamescape's collapse towards reality. Even if she'd reached the Wandering God level, she was still significantly deficient.

Further, her essential flame properties were ignored by Mithra's ash properties. In a pure power contest, Mithra had a significant advantage.

Before Liyu could react, Mithra's hammer struck her chest.

Bang!

The heavy blow knocked her to the ground. Before she could fully recover, Mithra vanished.

A powerful force of attraction pulled her from behind; she quickly turned, her head uncontrollably falling forward, caught by Mithra, who grabbed her skull mask.

Then, the burning hammer struck her head!

Bang!

Liyu fell to the ground; her skull mask was crushed by Mithra. Unable to rise, Mithra continued her assault, unleashing her full strength upon her frail body, which hadn't entirely shed its human form.

The ground was again upheaved; Liyu's body was blown apart, flying through the air like a ragdoll before falling heavily.

Then, still expressionless, she struggled to her feet, swaying…

Whoosh—

The Abhorrence Staff pierced her neck.

Her pupils constricted; she tried to grasp and pull the staff free, but she couldn't escape Mithra's strength.

Mithra raised her hammer.

"As promised."

As the words left her lips, the hammer fell upon her head; simultaneously, the staff slashed sideways.

The beautiful head and body separated, twirling in the air, the red hair dancing, strikingly beautiful.

...

Liyu opened her eyes hazily.

She'd imagined what she might see in the afterlife, but before her was a scene of smoke and fire; a brightening sky was visible in the distance; she was in a deep crater…

This wasn't the afterlife.

She tried to get up but was too weak. However, as she regained consciousness, her heightened senses as a believer returned, and she felt undeniably alive.

She wasn't dead?

Why?

Rough breathing came from beside her; she turned slightly, seeing Mithra lying nearby.

"Mithra…?"

"Mm?" Mithra grunted.

"I… I'm alive?"

"Why?" Liyu asked herself, "I remember enduring the burning flames, completing what I needed to do, then losing control of my body… you even held my head, yet I didn't die? And… it feels like I've regained control of my body."

"Life lock," Mithra said concisely.

"But my life lock was previously…" Liyu suddenly froze.

Her eyes… the final Unified Sense point had been completed!

With the full completion of Unified Sense, the life lock had been renewed, adding another life; she now possessed two extra lives!

Whether it was the moment she became a Wandering God, her body forcibly renewed through the life lock, or the potential unleashed during her fight to the death with Mithra, Liyu had managed something unprecedented.

Whether an Enchanting Land native becoming a Wandering God had ever happened before was unknown, but Liyu had successfully achieved it.

Her lower body had been in "hell," but Mithra had pulled her out by her hair.

After understanding everything, she was stunned for a long time.

Though she didn't want to cry, tears still welled up and trickled down her cheeks.

"Waa… I… I didn't die…" she sobbed.

Mithra looked up at the sky; the aftereffects of the burning, now that the ash form had subsided, left her exhausted. Hearing Liyu's sobs, she remained silent.

After a while, she calmed down.

"This time, you'll have a good dream," Mithra finally said.

Liyu didn't respond immediately; she gazed at the sky for a long time, then, unexpectedly, said, "Mithra…"

"…Mm?" Mithra, expecting her to continue, waited, then responded.

"I like you," Liyu said, looking at her, a rare smile on her face.

Mithra silently gazed at her for a moment before her gaze returned to the sky.

"I refuse."

A concise, calm response, typical of her.

Liyu didn't dwell on it, offering a self-deprecating chuckle: "As expected…"

She turned, continuing to watch the approaching dawn.

Despite the rejection, tonight would still be a good dream.

...

Mithra didn't kill the True Spiritfire Master.

The situation of a Planet Blue native becoming a Wandering God seemed more complex than anticipated; it was possible that Liyu and the True Spiritfire Master weren't considered the same entity by the life lock.

So, when Mithra discovered their separation, she was somewhat surprised.

Born into a weakened state, unable to fully utilize her power, and then suppressed by Mithra, constantly attacked, the death of the conduit, if the remaining flame had feelings, would have been deeply traumatizing.

However, the life lock didn't seem to fully separate them.

A portion of the True Spiritfire remained within Liyu. After separating from the conduit, the True Spiritfire Master, though not directly extinguished, could quickly expand again with a new source of fuel.

Wandering Gods consistently defied death; even this newly born one did.

But its only remaining fuel was the ashes within Mithra.

Because she couldn't truly kill this newly born Wandering God, Mithra didn't trigger the "hunt the Wandering God" three-option selection.

Though the True Spiritfire Master wasn't particularly powerful, it burned intensely. Mithra intended to temporarily use it as fuel for her ash form, hoping to make use of it.

Liyu was extremely exhausted and quickly fell asleep, while Mithra waited on the ground for the combined forces of Ember City, the Sanctuary, and Planet Blue.

They were mostly covered in dust, having just escaped an ambush by the Fire Worship Sect in the mountains.

They had prepared for a decisive battle, only to find Mithra and Liyu.

Mithra lay on the ground, waving at them.

...

Most of the Fire Worship Sect forces outside Ember City were eliminated before dawn; some remnants might remain within the city, but with the death of their leader, Infeder, it was unlikely they could cause further trouble.

The Fire Worship Sect had been planning this event for a long time, led by Infeder. They unearthed a unique flame from the Skyfall mountain range, a remnant from the era of the ancient Pillar Gods.

Using this powerful and unique flame, they created a massive illusion. The illusion targeted all believers through Ember City's nightly bonfire tradition.

They tormented the fire seeds within the illusion, creating a scenario where they slaughtered each other to gather in one place, transforming into new fire seeds.

To help these new fire seeds quickly overcome their weakness, they targeted Planet Blue's New Year's holiday, creating the Skyfire event. This served as both a signal to summon the fire seeds and to gather the Planet Blue citizens as bait.

While such a large-scale event would attract the attention of powerful individuals, the Fire Worship Sect deemed this risk acceptable.

They had made preparations, using their unique flames to lay ambushes, diverting powerful individuals and others who might disrupt their plans before activating the illusion.

A single night, neither long nor short, was enough for them to produce their target fire seeds, allowing them to retreat at any time.

Overall, their plan was remarkably successful.

Despite the massive variable that was Mithra, they achieved their goal; the True Spiritfire Master was born.

Securing the True Spiritfire Master would have given them a completely new, incredibly powerful, unique flame.

Unfortunately, despite their meticulous planning, they failed to obtain it.

Mithra's hammer shattered everything.

The Dreamlands, though sighing over this large-scale event, remained largely apathetic, even numb.

The Dreamlands were vast; the manipulation of miracles, the pursuit of power, the uncovering of curses—these were commonplace. In this era, not long after the chaos of the Wandering Gods, the Dreamlands remained "chaotic."

Such malicious events were merely recorded within the Sanctuary's sphere of influence; countless such incidents occurred annually. Successful ones weren't uncommon.

Yet, the Dreamlanders were almost numb; for Planet Blue, this was still a shocking event.

Many died within the Flamescape. Such large-scale conspiracies targeting Planet Blue citizens had occurred frequently only when Planet Blue and the Dreamlands first made contact.

Back then, the Dreamlanders viewed Planet Blue citizens as miracle-less beings whose fighting ability mostly relied on small arms. They were fascinated by the natives' limited abilities, yet possessed life locks and could teleport—a world filled with intrigue.

But that initial "intrigue" wasn't benevolent.

Much of Planet Blue's negative perception of the Dreamlands stemmed from that time.

Only after Planet Blue rapidly leveraged its advantages, mastered miracles, and expanded its influence did the "easy prey" become the "inferior Enchanting Land natives."

The Dreamlands, unable to fully understand the mysteries of life locks and teleportation points, and prone to suffering unforeseen consequences, gradually reduced their targeting of Planet Blue.

This recent terrifying event, however, sparked considerable debate.

None of this concerned Mithra.

She and Liyu received official assistance, then helped investigate the incident.

Mithra simply recounted her actions, feigning ignorance of the larger picture. She knew nothing; she simply annihilated the Fire Worship Sect.

The Fire Worship Sect, fire seeds, unique flames—she knew nothing.

She killed them; that was all.

After hearing Mithra's summary, the investigators from the three parties fell silent.

Although Mithra's description was overly simplistic, their investigation corroborated many eyewitness accounts of her actions within the Flamescape.

While no one witnessed her annihilation of the Fire Worship Sect, she was present at the scene, and the Sect members had indeed vanished.

They had been busy all night dealing with the Sect's ambushes; Mithra had single-handedly ended everything.

Truly unbelievable.

The Ember City and Planet Blue investigators still had concerns, but the Sanctuary investigator, seemingly remembering something, left to make inquiries. Upon returning, their skeptical gaze had transformed into reverence; Mithra felt a chill run down her spine.

The Sanctuary confirmed that Mithra possessed a divine weapon and firmly supported her, even suggesting Ember City should erect statues in her honor.

Putting aside other matters, the divine weapon convinced the other two parties. If she was wielding a divine weapon, her actions were less surprising.

The strength of a divine weapon wielder depended more on the weapon's compatibility and power than on the wielder's skill level or miracle use.

Mithra's performance clearly indicated exceptional compatibility with her weapon.

Thus, with all doubts quickly dispelled, Mithra was left with somewhat awkward adoration.

Ember City's hero!

As for Liyu, she was primarily investigated as a fire seed, as the true savior of Ember City; the unique flame within her body drew attention.

Considering she was a Planet Blue citizen, the research into the flame within her was entrusted to Planet Blue.

After the investigation of the two concluded, the remaining matters were no longer their concern.

...

"What?! You confessed to Mithra?!"

A secluded corner of a cafe in Shui Tu University, Planet Blue.

Nie Hong, Leo Duncan, and Liyu were sitting together, discussing the events of the New Year's holiday.

Regardless of the event's impact on Planet Blue, the three of them, as firsthand witnesses, found it incredibly stimulating.

Nie Hong and Leo Duncan were extremely curious about Mithra's actions during the event, as they had been completely out of contact during its most critical moments.

Knowing Liyu had mostly followed Mithra, they immediately asked.

Liyu recounted her experiences with Mithra, omitting the details.

Although the school had advised them to avoid discussing this outside, the three were clearly not the kind of students who would heed such advice.

Initially, hearing Liyu describe Mithra's exploits, Nie Hong and Leo Duncan were deeply impressed.

Then, at the end, Liyu revealed her confession, nearly causing Nie Hong to spit out his coffee.

Leo Duncan's expression was strange: "You're really brave."

Mithra, though friendly with them, existed on a completely different plane of experience.

But to confess to someone who had killed her twice, someone with such a terrifying aura, Nie Hong couldn't help but admire Liyu's courage.

"So, what happened?" Nie Hong eagerly asked.

"Rejected. The consideration probably took less than a few seconds. Maybe I was just wondering if my brain was broken," Liyu chuckled, not seeming particularly disheartened.

After the Ember City incident, Liyu's mental state improved significantly.

Though not immediately energetic, her facial expressions were more varied, no longer perpetually solemn.

"Ah… too bad," Nie Hong sighed.

"Too bad? Wasn't it an impossible situation?" Leo Duncan scoffed, taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, someone like her; someone like me is completely unworthy… It was just that I'd been resurrected, my emotions were a bit heightened, so I decided to seize the moment… That's it," Liyu said, stirring her latte, gazing at the heart-shaped foam art.

She gently stirred, swirling the heart design.

"True, even though she's amazing, it would be extremely stressful to be with her," Nie Hong mumbled, lowering his head, nearly spitting out his coffee.

Leo Duncan nodded in agreement.

"Stressful, huh?" A familiar, emotionless voice suddenly said from beside them.

Spurt!

Nie Hong nearly sprayed his coffee again.

Liyu and Leo Duncan were startled.

Mithra placed a bag of sweets on the table and sat down.

"Um, I didn't mean it like that… it's just… that… anyway… and…" Nie Hong stammered, looking at Liyu and Leo Duncan for help.

But one was staring at the sky, the other at the floor, pointedly ignoring him.

The pressure was definitely intense!

Mithra ignored him, looking at Liyu: "How did things go?"

It was the last day of the holiday; everyone would return to their university lives tomorrow. Coincidentally, Liyu, who'd been taken by the authorities after returning from Ember City, had returned. She contacted Mithra about meeting, so Mithra came.

"Fine," Liyu nodded, elaborating, "A simple check-up confirmed there are no significant abnormalities. Although this flame remains, it's just a flame; it's closely linked to me, but there's no clear secondary consciousness."

"That's good. I thought you wouldn't be back after seeing your senpai taken away," Nie Hong said.

"Our handling has been relatively gentle, but our activities will likely be restricted for a while. The observation period won't be short," Leo Duncan said.

Liyu nodded: "I have to repeat the process of returning after going missing in the Dreamlands. This time, it'll likely take several months, and it will be far stricter."

Although all indicators might be normal, it still involved a Wandering God; even if it was killed shortly after birth, caution was needed.

Mithra had also investigated the matter of an Enchanting Land native becoming a Wandering God; precedents existed.

However, the records were incomplete, and mostly unreliable rumors.

"Still, it's better than dying there," Mithra said, taking a mille-feuille from the sweets she'd brought, opening the box, and eating it directly.

Leo Duncan offered Mithra the cafe menu; naturally, the richer one would pay.

Liyu nodded with a smile: "Right."

"Yeah, Mithra, it seems nobody knows about you saving Ember City; my crab and I just heard about it from a senpai," Nie Hong said.

"I told them not to spread it; it's too troublesome. All that fuss about the Sun City incident was already annoying enough," Mithra said casually.

Nie Hong and Leo Duncan lowered their heads: "Sorry!"

The Ember City incident was on a completely different scale than the Sun City incident.

Sun City itself was far smaller than Ember City; though the incident caused a stir, its effects were limited to a single district. While it caused considerable trouble, it had little impact on Planet Blue; Sun City had minimized its effects.

This Ember City incident, however, heavily impacted Planet Blue. A long holiday had drawn a massive number of Planet Blue citizens to a relatively small city, resulting in chaos; online discussions about it raged on.

Becoming prominent now would bring predictable trouble.

Even without deliberate publicity, her actions within the illusion inevitably generated online buzz. This was unavoidable and not a major concern.

What bothered Mithra was the messages she received from Orph, Diehl, and Salomo immediately after the Ember City incident.

The Sanctuary understood Mithra. While she avoided public announcements to minimize the impact, the Sanctuary spread the news internally.

Gross Town, Sun City, Ember City… three incidents, each with a greater impact than the last, all featuring her "heroic" figure.

The Sanctuary had a strong tendency towards heroic narratives; perhaps their exposure to so much suffering led them to yearn for powerful heroes to save the world. The entire Dreamlands were similar; the Sanctuary was merely more pronounced in this regard.

And Mithra was, undoubtedly, their new hero.

Mithra tried to explain that she knew nothing, that she'd only tangled with the Fire Worship Sect out of spite.

It was purely personal; there were no lofty ideals. Annihilating them was a necessary evil.

But the responses from all three were:

"Yes, you're right, but Mithra is a brave, fearless, loyal, humble, lovable…"

A series of goosebump-inducing messages ended with abrupt hang-ups.

Truly remarkable.

"Are your injuries alright?" Mithra asked Nie Hong and Leo Duncan about their injuries.

Seeing them upon their return from Ember City had been alarming, especially Nie Hong, who looked like he'd barely survived. It highlighted the importance of having someone with restorative miracles like Leo Duncan.

If it weren't for Leo Duncan, even if Nie Hong had won, he probably would have died from his injuries.

Mithra had the Sanctuary provide them with proper treatment.

Unfortunately, Nie Hong's burns were too deep, and treatment wasn't fast enough to prevent scarring under the circumstances.

Nie Hong didn't mind; he felt the scars made him look more imposing than his previous self.

"No problem. My father looked me over and wasn't worried," Leo Duncan said.

"I got scolded by my grandmother for the scars. It's the kindness of a grandmother."

"I offered to pay for scar removal surgery, or even a more expensive miraculous healer. You refused," Leo Duncan said, leaning back.

"Heh heh, thanks, but it's not a big deal," Nie Hong chuckled.

After chatting for a while, they prepared to leave. Nie Hong and Leo Duncan, somewhat stimulated by the events, were eager to train.

Liyu had completed Unified Sense, an incredibly fast pace for a student.

But that didn't mean she'd slack off.

With Mithra as their protector, the three felt secure.

Even though… Mithra's Unified Sense progress was far slower than theirs.

The holiday was ending, and she had just completed her eyes.

She'd heard that the eyes were the most difficult part of Unified Sense, but Mithra felt it was alright. Still, completing the delicate organs of the head was far more challenging than the body and limbs.

"Mithra, can we talk privately?"

After everyone else left, Leo Duncan lingered, expressing his thoughts.

Nie Hong and Liyu left first.

With only the two of them remaining, Leo Duncan handed over a USB drive.

Mithra accepted it, her gaze fixed on him.

"Regarding the orphanage you asked me to investigate before New Year's, potentially linked to the cocoon incident; we have some results. To put it simply, there are problems," Leo Duncan said seriously.

Mithra didn't show any surprise; it was intelligence from the Shengmeng.

"And the situation is slightly more complex than expected. The orphanage has been operating for several years. I sent people to investigate; the details are on the USB."

Pausing, Leo Duncan continued, "While there's no clear connection to the Chrysalis, the whereabouts of several orphans are untraceable. Upon investigation, many had vaguely left to 'explore the Dreamlands.'"

"But upon closer examination of Dreamland entry and exit records, some children didn't have the reported entries. Occasional unauthorized entries aren't unusual, but the number here is excessive."

Mithra nodded, looking at the USB.

"And the trouble doesn't end there; that orphanage is reportedly undergoing renovations," Leo Duncan said.

Mithra raised an eyebrow: "Renovations?"

"Yes, it's been unchanged for years, but recently received a large donation for repairs. Without knowing the details, one might simply think it's the generosity of a benefactor. But knowing what you know, it feels… off."

Pausing, Leo Duncan said, "What are you going to do?"

"Report it to the police?" Mithra asked, turning.

Leo Duncan hesitated: "Well…"

"What? Reporting suspicious activity to the police seems perfectly reasonable," Mithra questioned, looking at him.

"No, it's just… surprising to hear such a normal response from you," Leo Duncan said.

"I'm very law-abiding," at least on Planet Blue.

"Yeah… you don't seem to have any issues there," Leo Duncan mused, seemingly agreeing.

"So, is there a problem with reporting it to the police?" Mithra asked.

Leo Duncan stroked his chin: "There might be. This information alone isn't substantial enough to warrant serious attention; we'd also be suspected of having ulterior motives for investigating. And there's another issue…"

His gaze returned to Mithra. He said, "The company funding the orphanage's renovations isn't as large as my family's, but it's still significant. My family's influence is considerable, but they wouldn't let me cause trouble over unfounded rumors. Don't underestimate me; my father keeps a tight rein on me."

What? You, of all people, have strict parents?

…Upon further reflection, it does make sense. The Crab King's origins and upbringing must have been extraordinary.

Thinking about it made her hungry.

Mithra spaced out for a moment.

"So, we should handle it ourselves?" Mithra asked.

Leo Duncan said, "If we have more conclusive evidence, then it'll be fine. Dealing with this now would be troublesome."

"Then I'll go," Mithra said.

"Huh?" Leo Duncan was surprised.

"To find conclusive evidence," Mithra replied casually, putting away the USB and standing up.

"Ah, you're not going to do anything dangerous, are you?" Leo Duncan asked uncertainly.

"No, I'm very law-abiding," Mithra answered.

Leo Duncan considered this. In Planet Blue, Mithra probably wouldn't do anything too outrageous. Even a city-conquering expert in the Dreamlands would likely only cause street brawls in Planet Blue.

"Let me know when you plan to leave. I'll buy you a ticket; teleportation isn't possible within Planet Blue; that city is quite far."

Mithra nodded, not refusing: "Okay, thanks."

...

After the holiday, everyone naturally resumed their daily lives.

Mithra continued her studies.

She was taking more fire-related courses; after all, she was now somewhat involved with flames.

However, Mithra's condition wasn't very good lately.

She was working on a project in her forge.

She was upgrading the four Night Worship Swords.

She had consulted Diehl for design ideas, planning to combine the four swords into one.

As a non-Wandering God powered weapon, this was a way to enhance it. While incorporating Wandering God power would have been ideal, it was limited.

Mithra had been pale and unsteady lately, her already low-pressure aura even more noticeable, causing others to keep their distance.